Melo to Kobe: D'Antoni Plays No D! Kobe to Melo: When Have You Played D?

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Melo to Kobe: D'Antoni Plays No D! Kobe to Melo: When Have You Played D?

The struggles of Mike D'Antoni as coach of the New York Knicks are well documented. If you were looking to pinpoint a specific reason, it would be a difficult task. However, one problem that does stick out is Knicks' ineffectiveness on the defensive end. And when looking at what Walt Frazier would call the Knickerbockers' "swiss cheese defense," one major issue was Carmelo Anthony and his inability to commit to anything outside of the offensive side of the ball.

So when the Lakers hired Mike D'Antoni early this morning, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reflected on the deal in a piece that had some interesting information, including this funny story involving Melo and Bryant, who were discussed D'Antoni shortly after his departure from the Knicks.

When Anthony grumbled to Bryant about D'Antoni's defensive acumen on a trip to Los Angeles before the coach's resignation in New York, one witness says Bryant shot back to Anthony – only half-kidding – that, seriously, when the hell have you ever played defense?

Kobe's got jokes! Maybe that conversation has been the catalyst in Anthony's new-found dedication to both the offensive and defensive end.

He has every right to say that he has years of experience on Melo and Melo was known to not play defense. That being said, though, Melo's defense has actually been well above average this season and last season.

He has every right to say that he has years of experience on Melo and Melo was known to not play defense. That being said, though, Melo's defense has actually been well above average this season and last season.

Up until this year Melo hasn't even say the word defense more less play some